ENGLAND’S deadly postcode lottery is cutting life expectancy by up to five years in the poorest areas, a charity has warned.

New analysis by the Centre for Ageing Better shows that men living in wealthy areas can expect a lifespan up to 4.4 years longer on average compared with those in the poorest areas. 

It found that the country’s poorest fifth of local authority areas are overwhelmingly in the north of England and mostly urban.

Men in these areas were living 77 years on average compared with 81.4 years for those in the wealthiest fifth.

For women, the average life expectancy was 81.2 compared with 84.9 years for those in wealthy areas.

When looking at areas individually rather than on average, the gaps spanned as much as a decade for men and almost eight years for women.

The report found that older people living in local authority areas with the highest proportion of residents on low incomes are almost three times as likely to be disabled than those living in the areas with the lowest.    

The charity is calling for the creation of an independent commissioner for older people and ageing to focus on reducing inequality and the reversal of cuts to public health. 

Its chief executive Dr Carole Easton warned that regional inequalities are a “matter of life and death.

“The really worrying trend is that inequality in life expectancy is increasing almost everywhere,” she said.

“The bombardment of shocks from austerity, Covid and the cost-of-living crisis have compounded longer-term health and inequality issues to ensure we truly are the sick man of Europe.  

“Co-ordinated, urgent action is needed across government, society, and communities to put us back on the road to recovery.”

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Some places in the poorest areas, such as Enfield, had a higher life expectancy than some wealthy areas such as York. 

Co-author of the report Dr Aideen Young said the response to the challenge of health inequality is “complex and nuanced.

“We need to tackle the wider determinants of health across people’s lives, ensuring that everyone has the same opportunities to have a good job, financial security and a decent home, and to develop and maintain connections to family, friends and a supportive wider community.”